Philip K Dick's Family To Sue Google

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gothicangel

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If it gets anywhere near a court, I pity the Judge!

Why do agents and publishers allow clients to pursue idiotic litigation?
 

Clair Dickson

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Did she sue the Star Trek franchise? I mean, Star Trek: Generations ALSO used the word Nexus. As in that one race of people were trying to return to the Nexus.

What a crock.
 

Jamesaritchie

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It's not using the word that matters, it's how you use the word, and for what.
 

CaoPaux

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If you can copyright a proper name, I'm going to copyright the word 'was'.
Just to be clear, we're talking trademark, not copyright, which is a whole different kettle of fish. E.g., Harlan Ellison[SUP]TM[/SUP].
 

ChristineR

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"Nexus" is the name of a line of human-like androids. The "Nexus-six" are the ones that are trying to become human and give the protagonist trouble. Offhand, I don't recall whether the Nexus One line was particularly interesting or not. They weren't phones, though, I'm sure of that.
 

Christine N.

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No, but they are android-like technology or something, so the implication is that the phone is related to the droid in the movie.

Meh. It's not just the word (I mean, a Nexus is also where ley lines intersect, right? Like stonehenge) it's the technology they are using the name for.

A good lawyer might be able to make a case for it, though it seems silly.
 

Kaiser-Kun

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Someone's being a dick here.

*rimshot*
 
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megan_d

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This reminds me of all the lawsuits that popped up when J.K.Rowling got famous from people also named Harry Potter and stuff.
 

blacbird

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What are they going to do about all the other uses of the word nexus for businesses, publications, websites, et bleeming cetera?

Meaningless. As JAR pointed out, it's a trademark issue, nothing to do with copyright. Trademarks protect the specific use of a name or phrase (and possibly certain graphic representations of that name) connected with a specific product or service. And, unlike copyrights, which are automatic with the tangible creation of specific verbal text, trademarks must be registered on a formal basis. A good example would be the former World Wrestling Federation, or WWF, which was forced to change its name to World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE), on the basis of a trademark challenge from the World Wildlife Fund, which had trademark protection on the WWF designation.

Unless the PKD heirs have formal trademark protection on their Nexus phone idea, I can't imagine this litigation getting any traction. And Google, with all its billions of dollars, is not very likely to settle something this frivolous out-of-court. They'll squash this action the way you'd swat a mosquito.

caw
 
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ChristineR

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This reminds me of the woman who sued Rowling because she had written a horrible vanity press book which used the term "muggle" before Rowling did. (Neither were the first to use it--it's a variant of "muddle.") Her real goal was probably to increase sales of her book. Judges hate it when you use their courts as advertising, and she got hit with a fine. You'd think Dick's family could get better advice though, so maybe they think they have a case.
 

CoriSCapnSkip

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Wow, the original word is 17th Century? Coulda fooled me. Has a modern ring.
 

defcon6000

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I thought names/titles couldn't be copyrighted. :Huh:

Once again, talentless family members trying to squeeze out a buck in their better known relative's name.

Ah man...that's really reaching.

....Best part of that article was the Bladerunner screenshots. ;)
Second that. :D
 

M.R.J. Le Blanc

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Someone tell her that just because it's so in her mind, it doesn't make it true. She must be really bored.
 

katiemac

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I thought names/titles couldn't be copyrighted. :Huh:

This is a trademark situation, not copyright.

When HarperCollins released a new edition of Wuthering Heights with a Twilight-styled cover, they put "Bella and Edward's favorite book" stickers on the cover. They couldn't put "Bella Swan and Edward Cullen's favorite book" because Summit Entertainment owns the trademarks on those characters.

But Nexus One wasn't the actual name in the novel, yes? So they're arguing over Nexus, which isn't going to fly.
 
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